To dice, or not to dice

[Stratherrick]

I'm off to my brother-in-law's wedding in the Czech Republic in August. A while back, I bought a plain Glengarry hat to which I've attached a clan crest badge (Lovat Fraser) and some pheasant feathers. It all looks rather grand and sets off my outfit no end.

However, while I was in the shop in Edinburgh buying it, I overheard one of the salesman say to another customer that one should never wear a Glengarry with a diced (red & white) banding unless you have been in a Scottish regiment. This is the sort of thing I mean:

http://scottishweddingstore.net/sr_l...lengarry_diced

Now, personally, it hadn't crossed my mind to buy a diced hat, nice-looking as they are, but it did make me wonder...

When it was my time to be served, I asked more about the whole 'army thing'. It turns out, that the salesman had, himself, been in the army and had heard of some ex-army chaps getting rather hot under the collar with diced band wearers over the years, feeling that it was only the right of an ex-serviceman to wear this particular adornment. The rest of us, so it seemed, would have to do with the plainer version.

I've asked around Scot's family and friends and, funnily enough, a lot of them had heard that this was the correct protocol.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Bruce

[macwilkin]

I'm off to my brother-in-law's wedding in the Czech Republic in August. A while back, I bought a plain Glengarry hat to which I've attached a clan crest badge (Lovat Fraser) and some pheasant feathers. It all looks rather grand and sets off my outfit no end.

However, while I was in the shop in Edinburgh buying it, I overheard one of the salesman say to another customer that one should never wear a Glengarry with a diced (red & white) banding unless you have been in a Scottish regiment. This is the sort of thing I mean:

http://scottishweddingstore.net/sr_l...lengarry_diced

Now, personally, it hadn't crossed my mind to buy a diced hat, nice-looking as they are, but it did make me wonder...

When it was my time to be served, I asked more about the whole 'army thing'. It turns out, that the salesman had, himself, been in the army and had heard of some ex-army chaps getting rather hot under the collar with diced band wearers over the years, feeling that it was only the right of an ex-serviceman to wear this particular adornment. The rest of us, so it seemed, would have to do with the plainer version.

I've asked around Scot's family and friends and, funnily enough, a lot of them had heard that this was the correct protocol.

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Bruce

Bruce,

There are a lot of stories "out there" regarding not only dicing, but also the glengarry itself; some purists maintain that glengarries should only be worn by soldiers and bandsmen, while civilians should stick wi' the balmoral.

Of course, not every Scottish regiment wore dicing on their bonnets; the old RHR, for example, wore a plain balmoral.

Dicing certainly has it roots in the uniforms of the Highland regiments, just as much of Highland attire does.

Regards,

Todd

[Splash_4]

Thanks for that response Todd, I was waiting for you answer as well!

[Stratherrick]

Todd

I thought long and hard about getting even my plain Glengarry. I hear what you say.

On a similar note, for a while I had chased buying a Lovat Scouts army cap badge, as one of my great-uncles was in the regiment, but thought better of it for the same reason that I didn't get a diced cap.

It's a tough call, that's for sure. It's just that, I s'pose, I'm more likely to run into ex-soldiers from Scottish regiments over here. Like any ex-military personnel, of whatever branch, I would neither like to upset them, out of respect, nor cross them enough to get pinned up against a wall for being insensitive to accepted protocol.

Cheers

Bruce

[Jack Daw]

My personal preference is the plain glengarry. I don't wear it when I'm not piping as I do not care much for hats other than for any utilitarian purpose. But, you are not me, so I say wear what you feel like wearing.

[macwilkin]

Thanks for that response Todd, I was waiting for you answer as well!

Todd

I thought long and hard about getting even my plain Glengarry. I hear what you say.

On a similar note, for a while I had chased buying a Lovat Scouts army cap badge, as one of my great-uncles was in the regiment, but thought better of it for the same reason that I didn't get a diced cap.

It's a tough call, that's for sure. It's just that, I s'pose, I'm more likely to run into ex-soldiers from Scottish regiments over here. Like any ex-military personnel, of whatever branch, I would neither like to upset them, out of respect, nor cross them enough to get pinned up against a wall for being insensitive to accepted protocol.

Cheers

Bruce

I wouldn't rely too much on my post, fellas -- there are a number of variations of this story that circulate on the web and in the Scottish community, but very little of it can be verified.

One of the more common stories is that dicing somehow signifies loyalty to the House of Hanover (due to its military connotations), yet dicing, according to historian Stuart Reid, really didn't start showing up in Highland regiments until after 1746, and that it was more "decorative" in the style of diced hose.

Besides, if you want to get technical, the dicing really resembles the fesse-chequey of the Stuarts, which should make it a Jacobite symbol -- Reid discounts this, btw.

And to be quite honest, I wear a diced glengarry myself -- a Toronto Scottish pattern one, which was sold to me by a former member of the regiment.

T.

[Kent Frazier]

I'm off to my brother-in-law's wedding in the Czech Republic in August. A while back, I bought a plain Glengarry hat to which I've attached a clan crest badge (Lovat Fraser) and some pheasant feathers. It all looks rather grand and sets off my outfit no end.

Not to hijack the thread, but what about the feathers? I've heard that only certain members of the clan are allowed (or should) wear feathers in their covers.

[macwilkin]

Not to hijack the thread, but what about the feathers? I've heard that only certain members of the clan are allowed (or should) wear feathers in their covers.

See this article:

http://www.scotarmigers.net/leaflet2.htm

Regards,

Todd

[beloitpiper]

I prefer non-diced bonnets, which is great because (in my band) the pipers wear plain Glengarrys and the drummers wear diced ones.

[Retro Red]

This thread is too "dicey" for me!

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